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Cover All Your Bases

by

USSA

2014-04-24 17:27

In the unpredictable and fast-moving world of sports, extra effort goes hand in hand with proper preparation. If an athlete wants to be great and win, they’ve got to prepare great too. And to prepare great, they’ve got to have more than just a Plan A.

True greatness requires extra effort. That’s true in any walk of life, and it’s certainly true in sports – no matter how much raw talent our young athletes possess.

In the unpredictable and fast-moving world of sports, extra effort goes hand in hand with proper preparation. If an athlete wants to be great and win, they’ve got to prepare great too. And to prepare great, they’ve got to have more than just a Plan A.

The experts at Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) understand what it takes to achieve greatness and prepare for everything – including the unexpected. That’s why they developed a winning approach that’s built around both preparation and adaptation. They call this game-tested approach “Plan A-B-C.”

“Most athletes have a Plan A,” explains Jim Thompson, Founder and CEO of Positive Coaching Alliance. “The way they like to compete, that plays to their strengths.”

But just like anyone else, athletes also have “off days.” In those moments, they need to switch gears and zone in on those solid backup plans they’ve been developing. When Plan A just isn’t working, they need to reset their focus towards Plan B.

A great Plan B focuses closely on effort. If your offense just isn’t working or clicking, for example, focus instead on defensive effort and energy. In many sports, offensive runs are sparked by disruptive defense.

Likewise, if Plan B doesn’t yield the desired results, a prepared, disciplined and mentally tough athlete can move on to Plan C. For many great athletes, Plan C involves focusing less on their own efforts and achievements and concentrating more on making things happen for their teammates.

Whatever our young athletes’ sport, they can sharpen their mental game by not only identifying and practicing their Plan A, but by also preparing Plans B and C for those times when Plan A just isn’t cutting it.

When an athlete really knows and believes deep down that they can always find a way to succeed – in any scenario, against any opponent – greatness becomes that much more attainable.

At Liberty Mutual Insurance, we constantly look for ways to celebrate the countless acts of responsibility shown by people every day. We created Responsible Sports, powered by Positive Coaching Alliance, as part of this belief to help ensure that our kids experience the best that sports have to offer in environments that promote and display responsibility. We believe kids can learn valuable life lessons when coaches and parents come together to support winning on and off the field.